Optical voltage sensors: principle, problem and research proposal

Sensing principles and main problems to be solved for optical voltage sensors are briefly reviewed. Optical effects used for voltage sensing usually include electro-optic Pockels and Kerr effects, electro-gyration effect, elasto-optical effect, and electroluminescent effects, etc. In principle, typical optical voltage sensor is based on electro-optic Pockels crystals and closed-loop signal detection scheme. Main problems to be solved for optical voltage sensors include: how to remove influence of unwanted multiple optical effects on voltage sensing performance; how to select or develop a proper voltage sensing material and element; how to keep optical phase bias to be stable under temperature fluctuation and vibration; how to achieve dc voltage sensing, etc. In order to suppress the influence of unwanted optical effects and light beam coupling-related loss on voltage sensing signals, we may pay more attention to all-fiber and waveguide voltage sensors. Voltage sensors based on electroluminescent effects are also promising in some application fields due to their compact configuration, low cost and potential long-term reliability.